Treasure of the Week no. 17: Morning Dress at Bradford College: A Scientific Conversazione

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JND233/5 (Please quote this number if requesting this item)

BRADFORD SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION.  Annual Conversazione held in the Technical College on March 7th & 8th, 1901. Programme and Handbook of Exhibits, Demonstrations, etc.  Bradford: H. Gaskarth, Printer. 25 pages.

From this Programme and Handbook, printed on thick paper with a (faded) maroon cover with gold lettering, we gain an insight into Bradford Technical College (now just ‘Bradford College’) putting on a show for the public. And some show it was too! Here, at the turn of the century, we sense a vibrant and confident Bradford.

On the Thursday evening there was a ‘conversazione’, a cultural celebration. The Opening Address was given by the President of the Bradford Scientific Association, Mr E. Naylor, there were songs and a violin solo, and two Lecturettes, one on Glacial Geology (with lantern slides) and the other on Colour Photography (illustrated by a photochromescopic lantern). On the following evening there were four songs (‘I was dreaming’, ‘The Sailor’s Grave’, ‘The River of Years’, and ‘Songs of Araby’) and two Lecturettes, one on Faraday’s Electro-Magnetic Discoveries, and the other on Aresenical Poisoning.

Throughout the two days there were Demonstrations, which included:

  •             Machines for testing the strength of concrete
  •             Collotype Printing,

Spectroscopes

  •             Action of dyes on flowers
  •             Preparation of glucose from starch using sulphuric acid
  •             The recovery of ammonia from Ammonical Liquor, and
  •             The Manufacture of Copperas (used in the purification of Bradford sewage)

 

There was a Children’s Corner where there were Experiments with Gyroscope and Soap Bubbles, and other eye-catching activities. Among the many Microscope shows were the magnifications of insects’ eyes, frog skin and the foot of a spider.

Permanent Exhibits were displayed in the subjects of Astronomy, Botony, Chemistry, Engineering, Ethnology, Geology, Photography, Physiology, Textiles, Zoology.

The Conversaziones were held in the evenings and the programme notes that ‘Morning Dress was to be worn’. Morning Dress is not something seen at Bradford College these days! Nor photochromescopic lanterns for that matter! But as an insight into the development of science in Bradford at the beginning of the twentieth century, this programme is hugely impressive.

Stackmole

Exhibition in Keighley Library ‘Battle of Third Ypres and Passchendaele’ by ‘Men of Worth project’

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The Third Battle of Ypres and later Passchendaele, were fought in 1917 and ran from July 31 to November 10. This was the third time this area had been fought over during the war. It would be fought over on two more occasions before the war ended.

This exhibition has details of the battles in this ‘offensive’ which was a major push to take the Passchendaele ridge where the village was before winter set in. The exhibition takes the form of 10 hanging banners on the library pillars.

One of the many panels currently on display One of the panels

Andy Wade from Men of Worth project said: ‘In this exhibition we show columns from the Keighley News of the day about local men serving in these battles and what was happening to them, interspersed with War Diary transcripts and images of the men, the battle conditions and other material we have found during our research. Please take…

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‘Going Off at a Tangent’ talk by historian Mary Twentyman

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‘Going Off at a Tangent’ talk by historian Mary Twentyman with Keighley & District Family History Society

Monday 6th November
Keighley Local Studies library 7.00pm for 7.30pm. (Please use side entrance.)

Mary Twentyman uncovers delightful examples of the interesting people and events that can be uncovered by going off at a tangent from your own family research.

Mary Twentyman

 

Spanish Civil War children sought refuge in Keighley and Bradford in 1937.

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There is still chance to see the display by  basquechildren.org which will be in Keighley Local Studies until 14th November.

In Keighley Local Studies Library Simon Martinez and John Birkbeck recently told the story of the Basque children who came to Keighley to escape the Spanish Civil War in a well-attended talk.

Simon Martinez & John Birkbeck
The display

In September 1937, nearly 100 children arrived at the Morton Banks Colony which was the largest in Yorkshire. Previously Morton Banks had been a sanatorium and between 1916 to 1918 it had been a war hospital.

MB

Morton Banks gates today (Image: ©Simon Martinez)

The home at Morton Banks closed when it was requisitioned for the Second World War in 1939. By then, many children had gone to France or back to Spain. Others stayed in Britain in colonies that remained until after the war, or were adopted by British people.

The talk sparked many interesting discussions and stories from descendants of the Basque refugees as well as of the people from the local community who rallied to the cause and provided sanctuary for the children.

The Basque Children of 37 Association would like to hear from anyone who might have further information. See more details at:

https://www.basquechildren.org/

 

Missing Priest

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Bradford Local Studies Library recently assisted researchers in a radio programme which was aired on Radio 4 recently.

Bradford’s Polish Roman Catholic Community became nationally famous in the summer of 1953 when its parish priest, Father Henryk Borynski, disappeared.

One afternoon in July 1953 Father Borynski took a telephone call. His housekeeper heard him say ‘OK, I’ll go’. He put on his hat and his coat and left. He was never seen again.

Many Poles fled to the UK during World War II and settled in Bradford. With the onset of the Cold War they became exiles, unable to return to Poland. Father Borynski was an outspoken critic of the Soviet system and many believed that he could have been a victim of communist agents operating in England.

Six years after Father Borynski walked out of his presbytery in Little Horton Lane the Church assumed him to be dead and a requiem mass was held at St Joseph’s Church where the Poles then worshipped.

The story of this unsolved mystery is investigated by Steve Punt in the programme in which he follows leads and opens Secret Service files, to find out what might have happened to Father Borynski.

There is still chance to listen to this programme: ‘Punt PI’ Series 10 ‘Missing Priest’ at the link below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b093hv5r